


second honeymoon

by starkly



Series: you don't have to do this alone [30]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Anniversary, F/M, Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 19:31:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13531068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkly/pseuds/starkly
Summary: “We’re never too old to enjoy ourselves,” Tony says. “Hence the second honeymoon.”“I think it’s just called an anniversary,” Rhodey replies, though he smiles at last, setting his hands on Tony’s hips.“Nope, second honeymoon. Because you weren’t there for our first one.”





	second honeymoon

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for NaNoWriMo 2017 and posted at [dailyironfamily](http://dailyironfamily.tumblr.com/post/168066163125/day-30-future-fic) on tumblr. This fic was proofread before being posted here but is otherwise unchanged.
> 
> Day thirty: future fic. Or ‘ten years older’ as my prompt list says, so I set this ten years after Infinity War even though it hasn’t happened yet. We’re also pretending nothing bad happened in IW and the iron fam is alive and well and married.

“I can’t believe it took this long to get you back to Venice,” Tony says, dragging two large suitcases into the elegant villa where they’d be staying the week.

“Technically we’re in the countryside outside of Venice,” Pepper says, a few steps in front of him. She looks around the place as she walks, taking note of the open architecture of the villa’s interior.

Rhodey brings up the rear, standing in the doorway and looking out over said countryside. “Also this trip was my idea.”

“Yeah, but you were clearly influenced by me.” Tony drops the suitcases in the front hall, groaning. “Jeez, Rhodes, what’d you bring with you, a whole suit of armor?”

“Unlike you, I plan on wearing clothes at some point this week.”

“There’s a pool  _and_  a hot tub out back,” Tony points out.

Rhodey mutters something that sounds like “We’re getting too old for this” as he walks past, and Tony catches him around the waist, gently swinging him around so he can kiss the frown off his face.

“We’re never too old to enjoy ourselves,” he says, nudging his nose against Rhodey’s. “Hence the second honeymoon.”

“I think it’s just called an anniversary,” Rhodey replies, though he smiles at last, setting his hands on Tony’s hips.

“Nope, second honeymoon. Because you weren’t there for our first one.”

“Doesn’t that make this his first honeymoon?” Pepper asks, returning from her quick survey of the villa’s first floor.

“Semantics,” Tony says, shrugging. “Stop fussing and relax, both of you.”

Pepper walks over to them, giving Tony a kiss on the cheek and saying, “Nobody’s fussing except you.” She takes Rhodey by the hand, stealing him away with an added, “Come see the rest of the place, Jim, it’s lovely.”

Tony watches them walk away, expression fond, then bends to pick up the suitcases again and haul them into the bedroom. Seriously, if War Machine was shoved into one of these bags he wouldn’t be surprised.

* * *

They spend the evening settling into the villa and resting after the trip. Rhodey cooks dinner and they eat it out on the back patio as the sun sets in front of them, and they stay out there as the stars begin to dot the darkening sky. They curl up on a wicker loveseat, Rhodey tucked in the middle, and Pepper sips at a glass of wine while the boys point out constellations.

“Can you believe how long it’s been?” Tony says, head resting on Rhodey’s shoulder.

“Since what?” Pepper asks with a soft laugh.

“Since everything. Since we met. Since Iron Man.” Tony dyes the gray out of his hair more often than he likes. Pepper has lines at the corners of her eyes and mouth. Rhodey complains of aches and pains that don’t have to do with his back injury. “Maybe we are getting old.”

“If you’re going to keep being this romantic, I’m going to leave,” Rhodey jokes, but he shifts to drape an arm over Tony’s shoulders, running his fingers through Tony’s hair.

“I never thought I’d have that. Getting to grow old.”

“It was pretty touch and go there, for a bit,” Pepper says lightly, but she reaches across Rhodey’s lap to take Tony’s hand and squeeze.

“Thank you. For sticking with me,” Tony says, squeezing Pepper’s hand back.

“We made it this far,” Rhodey points out. “Can’t quit now.”

Tony lets out a quiet hum of agreement, absently rubbing his thumb over Pepper’s wrist.

The moment of silence is broken by Pepper, who says, “How are you this maudlin and you haven’t even been drinking? It’s our second honeymoon! Tomorrow we’re going to play tourist in Venice like pros, then come back here so one of you can eat me out on that incredibly comfortable couch in the living room.”

Rhodey snorts so loudly he chokes, and Pepper just hands over her glass of wine for him to take a sip afterwards. Nobody protests her plan, however.

* * *

The week goes by far faster than Tony wants it to. Pepper and Rhodey let him spoil them as much as he wants, and for a few simple days they don’t have to worry about anything except each other. But like all good things, it has to come to an end sooner or later.

Rhodey shuffles into the bedroom where Tony’s packing the suitcases and Tony glances up, Rhodey’s mere presence enough to make him smile. Okay, so maybe not like  _all_  good things. Sometimes, against all odds, good things do stick around.

“Are you going to sigh every time you put something away?” Rhodey asks, raising an eyebrow at him.

Tony pouts, tossing a pair of clean socks back into the case. As promised, he’d managed to avoid wearing more than the minimum amount of clothing while lounging around the villa, and thus has plenty of clean clothes to pack back up.

“I tried to help,” Pepper calls from the bathroom where she’s gathering up their toiletries, “but he got bristly.”

“I’m not bristly! I’m just. Lamenting.”

“We had a whole week. It was a good week.” Rhodey leans down and presses a kiss to Tony’s forehead. “Now finish up, breakfast’s ready.”

Tony hastily dumps the rest of his clothes into the suitcase and stands, helping Pepper shove the toiletry bags into the suitcases wherever they’ll fit so they can go join Rhodey out in the kitchen. The omelettes he makes are a far cry better than any Tony’s ever made.

“Why don’t we make this a yearly thing?” Rhodey suggests while they’re eating. “Venice doesn’t have to be an ‘every ten years’ kind of thing, you know.”

Tony pokes at his omelette, looking thoughtful. “Sure, why not? Doesn’t have to be Venice, either.”

“I don’t know, I’m kind of fond of Venice,” Pepper says with a small smile, glancing over at Tony.

“We’ll hold a yearly vote,” he says, stealing a mushroom from Pepper’s plate. “All in favor?”

“Aye,” Pepper says with a laugh, and Rhodey nods.

Tony raps his knuckles against the table, mimicking a gavel. “The ayes have it. Third honeymoon will commence in one year.”

“We can’t keep calling it a honeymoon,” Rhodey says.

“Says who?”

“Says the guy who makes the omelettes you keep calling heavenly.”

“I side with the omelette guy,” Pepper chimes in, knocking Tony’s fork away as he tries to take another piece of mushroom.

“See if I take you anywhere nice for third honeymoon,” Tony mutters, but he can’t help smiling at the two of them.

It doesn’t matter where they go, or how often they go there. What matters is that Pepper and Rhodey are with him now, and continue to stick with him as the years go by. It’s what makes the years of struggle to get to this point worth it. And Tony wouldn’t give that up for anything.

**Author's Note:**

> And that's it! The last of the fics I wrote for NaNo 2017. Thanks so much to everyone who commented on and kudos'd the fics as I was posting them here. ♥ Feel free to check out [dailyironfamily](http://dailyironfamily.tumblr.com/) for more Tony/Pepper/Rhodey content.


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